by Thom Morris
tmorris@thekmgroup.co.uk

An army of more than 150 people turned out to show their support for the Kentish Express Fight for the Farm campaign.
The supporters flocked to the North School gates in Essella Road to show the strength of feeling against Kent County Council’s plans to build houses on part of the school site.

Josie-Ann Rollings, 8, (above right) came dressed as a cow for the protest.

There has also been a Facebook campaign, in which pupils, parents, residents and those concerned about the loss of an important part of Ashford’s agricultural history showed their determination to stop 25 houses being built on the school site.
Mel Cook, 34, a former pupil and the creator of the 2,000-strong Facebook group, said: “I am so shocked over the amount of people who joined the protest, it was absolutely amazing. We need to keep this farm and we don’t want houses this close to the school. There is absolutely no need for it.
“I think we’re really showing the strength of support against these proposals and I hope KCC understands that building houses so close to the school and on part of the farm is not a good idea.”
Mum Alli Cousins was joined by her daughter Sophie-Alice, 14, who is head of poultry at the school farm.
She said: “The education of the children should come foremost.
“The homes are so close to the classrooms and I think safety, security and the vulnerability of the children needs to be looked at. You just don’t know who is going to move in to these houses and there will not be any kind of vetting to ensure our children’s safety.
“Also, the road cannot cope with the excess traffic as it is. The children walk on the road to get to and from school and drivers have been reported as mounting the grass verge to bypass the children, which has resulted in near-misses with the children on the pavement.”
You can sign up to the Kentish Express campaign by visiting www.kentishexpress.co.uk and clicking on the Fight for the Farm logo.